8 Common Food Allergies To Be Aware Of

Here's the list of foods that people should be aware of of if they are suffering from food allergies.

Do you know one of the most common types of allergy is a food allergy? More than 6% of adults and 8% of children suffer from allergies caused by different foods. According to a study, approximately 11% of adults suffer from a food allergy in the USA.

Although food allergies may be caused by any food, there are some foods that are associated with almost all kinds of allergies. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the following foods cause allergies in almost 90% of individuals in the United States.

List of 8 Common Foods That Cause Allergies

A food allergy is an abnormal immunologic reaction caused by certain foods leading to many signs and symptoms including skin rashes, itching, swelling, breathing difficulties, diarrhea, and vomiting. The 8 common foods that cause different types of allergies are:

1. Tree Nuts: Nut allergy is one of the most common food allergies which affects both children and adults. People suffering from nut allergies are allergic to their products, also including nut oils and butter. People are allergic to different types of nuts such as peanuts, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, almonds, macadamia, and Brazil nuts. People allergic to any of these types of nuts show specific signs and symptoms.

2. Shellfish: People suffering from shellfish allergies show an immune response against proteins present in fishes belonging to the crustacean and mollusk families. Some examples of shellfish are lobsters, prawns, crayfish, squid, shrimp, and scallops. Although tropomyosin is the protein primarily responsible for shellfish allergy, there are other proteins also that may trigger an immunologic response such as arginine kinase and parvalbumin. The symptoms of a shellfish allergy are similar to other food allergies and result in increased IgE levels in the body.

3. Soy: The allergy caused by soy is commonly found in infants and children less than 3 years of age. The allergic response is triggered by some specific proteins found in soybeans or their products. The soy allergy is generally not persistent and almost 70% of people outgrow the allergy with age. The symptoms include rashes, asthma, breathing difficulty, and a tingling mouth. Anaphylaxis is rarely found in people with soy allergies.

4. Fish: Fish allergy is another common food allergy. Almost 7% of adults show an allergic response to fish. Generally, people develop a fish allergy in childhood, however, some people may acquire it later as well. People suffering from shellfish allergy may or may not have a fish allergy. The symptoms include rashes, itching, asthma, and anaphylaxis in rare cases.

5. Wheat: People who are allergic to wheat are basically intolerant to some specific proteins found in it. It has been found that children with wheat allergies often get rid of them once they reach the age of 10. Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity have similar symptoms to that of a wheat allergy and that is the reason people often get confused among these. A severe wheat allergy is a strong immune response against different proteins found in wheat which sometimes can be fatal. Avoiding wheat and its products is the best way to control the symptoms.

6. Eggs: The second most common allergy found in children is to eggs. Most children outgrow their egg allergies by the time they reach 16 years of age. Some of the commonly found symptoms associated with an egg allergy are hives, skin rashes, digestive problems, respiratory problems, and anaphylaxis (in rare cases). Since the proteins present in egg white and egg yolk are different, some people are allergic to egg yolks and not egg whites, and vice-versa. It has been found that allergy to egg whites is more common as compared to an egg yolk allergy. An egg-free diet is the best way to avoid an egg allergy.

7. Cow Milk: This is one of the most common types of allergies found in infants and children. Since most children (almost 3%) outgrow a cow milk allergy by the time they are 3 years old, this type of allergy is found comparatively lesser in adults. People suffering from both IgE and non-IgE forms of cow allergy show various signs and symptoms. But IgE is the most dangerous form of cow allergy and leads to symptoms like hives, indigestions, vomiting, diarrhea, and anaphylaxis (rare). Avoiding cow milk and its products is the best way out.

8. Peanuts: Like tree nut allergies, a peanut allergy is often associated with symptoms like skin rashes, asthma, breathing difficulty, and digestive problems. People allergic to tree nuts are often found to be allergic to peanuts as well. Avoid consuming peanuts in your diet or otherwise to avoid this.